Helmets and headgear intended for wear during extended periods of time generally incorporate some type of cushioning on the inner surface thereof to reduce pressure and stress on the head of the wearer. A padding or cushion interface between the helmet and wearer distributes the weight, and thus the pressure of the helmet or headgear and any other equipment attached thereto. Hence, with reduced areas of concentrated pressure, the wearer is less likely to encounter headaches, stress and fatigue.
One approach for cushioning a helmet to a wearer's head is to attach a leather-covered foam at various areas within the helmet or headgear where contact to the wearer's head will not affect nerves or restrict the flow of blood. Plural spaced apart cushion pads are generally provided for this purpose, as well as to promote air circulation between the headgear and the wearer's head.
In military applications, the leather covering of the foam pad is required to be of a non-allergenic type, and specifically comprises the processed hide of a certain hairless sheep which can be found in foreign countries. Because of the chemicals required to process or tan this special type of leather, such processed leather can only be purchased abroad, and is in many instances in limited supply. The high cost of the noted leather material is apparent.
Yet other types of headgear cushioning techniques utilize a webbing or cantilever strap network anchored to the headgear so that the webbing rests on the crown of the wearer's head with the helmet spaced from the wearer's head. This approach is labor intensive, in that various straps need to be cut to various sizes and sewn together, then fastened to the helmet. Another shortcoming of this approach, as well as those described above, is that to accommodate a number of head sizes, a corresponding number of helmets or headgear types is required.
More recently, a vinyl/nitrile coated foam cushion has been developed for use with football helmets and the like. The padding is sewn or otherwise fixed to the interior surface of the helmet. The vinyl/nitrile is obtainable locally and is also a non-allergenic composition. The cushioning pad used in sports equipment includes several inherent disadvantages when utilized with military headgear.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that a need exists for a new type of headgear cushion which is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, non-allergenic, and replaceable. An associated need exists for a variety of replaceable cushions useable in a single headgear type to accommodate varying head sizes of wearers.